Beeping
by forevergirl57
Summary: "Were superheroes, but we were also kids, and we weren't invincible. We realized that now." (the **** stands for the start and end of a flash back or what the persons thinking)


{Robin POV} Beeping

That was all I heard, beeping.

A continuous monotone-like beeping noise that could be coming from none other than a hospital heart monitor.

Dang... Was I in a hospital? What happened? Why couldn't I remember... I looked down at myself and noticed my horrible condition. Both my legs were casted. My left arm had stitches running up and down its side, the black thread clashing with my abnormally pale skin, and I felt an ace bandage tightly wrapped around my head. However the most distinguishable feature was definitely the tight hard brace clipped around my waist, enabling me to sit up.

Well... That and the unbearable pain that continuously washed over me. That's when I heard a almost invisible knock on the door, and I hoarsely released a quiet "c-come in". Only to realized how awful my voice sounded.

"D-Dick...? You awake?" It was none other than Wally. He had a very solemn expression plastered on his face, and he looked extremely nervous.

"Wh-What happened...why does everything hurt.." I said grimacing. Had it been anyone else, I would have never shown such weakness.

"you got hurt, bad. The joker ambushed us and u got caught in the explosion... and"

"and what..." I said. I heard the heart monitor increase dramatically, and I realized that my heart was practically beating out of my chest. I was scared... I was scared because I remembered now, and I knew what he was going to say.

"He... He shot you Dick, right here..." Wally placed his hand ever so gingerly over my abdomen, and I felt myself start to shake. No... "Dick, bud, calm down ok? Please, you'll put to much stress on yourself." he seemed so scared, "just try to sleep, for now"

So I did. I closed my eyes slowly, until the world blurred out of view.

robinrobinrobinrobinrobinrobinrobinrobinrobinrobinrobinrobinrobinrobinrobin

{Kidflash POV}

I closed the door behind me once I saw the young boy fall asleep. I then turned, leaned against the wall, and sunk down to the floor. He... He had to make it right? He couldn't... Die? How did it all go so wrong...

**** "M'gann link us up" I heard Aqualad bellow from across the room. We sat in the shadows on the large warehouse, we're a young boy was tied up and thrown into the center of. We were on a covert mission when we intercepted a distress call of an abduction. We were then given the "ok" from the league to go save the boy who was apparently the son of a very wealthy man. Most likely, kidnapped for ransom.

Couldn't tell you how many times Robin had been kidnapped for money, only as Dick Grayson, being the ward of Bruce Wayne and all. That must have been why he jumped at the chance to save another kid with this problem.

*Robin, when I give the word, jump up onto the railing above the center of the room. Kidflash and Artemas cover him while Superboy, Miss. M and I go after the guards around the kid.* Aqualad briefed us telepathically and we took of on his orders. I saw as robin jumped up onto the ceiling, swinging over them with ease. I ran out and watched his back as he made his way over to the young boy.

*I'm right over of him Aqualad, waiting for your call* I heard him say through the mind link Aqualad punched out another thug and answered

*permission granted* he then threw a kick out at his side, knocking another goon out. Robin jumped down and landed beside of the boy, attempting to untie him. That's when the room was filled with an unmistakeable, deafening, laughter.

"Wally, are you ok?" the sound of artemis's voice snapped me out of my trance, and I looked up at her. She was kneeling down beside me and had a hand on my shoulder. Wow, this must be bad. She was being so, nice to me.

"How, how is he..." she said with a shaky voice. I couldn't answer her though. Instead I just looked up at her, silent tears strolling down my face. I felt like a child when she hugged me, rubbing circles in my back, but it was a good feeling all the same. A comforting feeling, because right now... ... I needed it.

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{Artemis POV} I felt so bad for him, him and Wally. I always knew that they were close friends, but Wally was falling apart. We all were. I walked Wally over to the couch as he slowly calmed himself down. Only when he stopped crying did I allow myself to release my pent up tears. I didn't let Wally see though, I turned my head away and cover my eyes, he'd never let me live something like this down.

Robin jumped down and landed beside of the boy, attempting to untie him. That's when the room was filled with an unmistakeable, deafening, laughter. Right before him, the boys head slipped off and rolled lifelessly across the floor. It was all fake, It was a set up.

"welcome, welcome, boy blunder and his playpen pals! Oh what a lovely surprise!" the joker eerily crept into the center of the room from the darkness and we all stood in a ready stance.

"joker! What do you want!" robin shrieked as I took an arrow from my quiver and pulled it back toward my finger tips.

"Ah ah ah! Don't you move a muscle little girl! Release that arrow and playtime will end early.." the clown prince of crime then took robin around the neck and pulled out a small gun. He then held it to robins head as he struggled vigorously. "Nice try joker!" robin slid out from the clowns grasp and slap kicked him upside the head. Joker fell the the floor and the ebony pierced over him.

"aww you guys are no fun anymore, but I can fix that" the jokers voice darkened as he pulled out a small grenade and pulled the tie. He threw the device and ran the opposite way.

"Everyone clear out!" Aqualad shouted and we all ran, all of us except Robin.

"guys! I've got the joker! You try to get out " he yelled as he ran after the joker. "Robin don't!.."

"no following bird boy..." the clown readjusted the gun toward the ebony when a piercing gunshot was heard throughout the room, followed by a sickening scream.

That's when the grenade exploded.

I didn't notice Wally had pulled me into a hug until I felt his tears drip onto my shirt. I didn't care anymore. I realized something now... You need to appreciate the people you love, because you don't get a second chance. Were superheroes, but we were also kids, and we weren't invincible. We realized that now. We sat on the couch with my head on Wally's shoulder for a good half an hour before M'gann and Conner walked into the room.

robinrobinrobinrobinrobinrobinrobinrobinrobinrobinrobinrobinrobinrobinrobin

{Superboy POV}

We were a mess. A big mess of a team, at least at the moment. I guess had it been anyone else, we would be just as traumatized, but robin somehow held a special place in our hearts.

M'gann hadn't stopped crying since it happened. I hadn't really been able to think about it yet because I had been focussing on comforting her. maybe I was just being single minded, or maybe this was just how I coped, I didn'tknow. All I knew was that Robin was shot, and it wasn't looking all to good right about now.

That's when the grenade exploded We all went flying backwards and scattered around the room, falling into walls and corners of the warehouse. As soon as I landed I sat up and gripped my head, then quickly jumped onto M'gann, shielding her from more falling debree from the explosion. The next thing I heard was Wally shouting robins name and calling us all.

"guys! Robins hurt! Guys please come fast!" we all scrambled through the dust, flaming sheetrock, and chunks of metal to where Wally was calling. Only after we got there, I wished we had stayed behind Robin was on the floor, covered in large pieces of rubble, shaking slightly as his face contorted in pain. He obviously endured the worst of the explosion. Wally stood in front of him, a shocked expression glued to his face. He seemed scared to touch him. "quick, Superboy, can you lift the rocks f of him? But be gentle... We don't know the extent of his injuries."Aqualad seemed shaken as well but tried to maintain his composed state for the good of the team.

I nodded and then began to slowly but surely lift the heavy rocks off of his small body. As I did so we all began to become more nervous than before. As I lifted the final chunk, we all gasped.

Besides the various bruises on his head, the cuts on his arm that obviously needed stitches, and the fact that his legs were clearly severely broken...

...the bullet hole, in his chest. That damn bullet hole...was just oozing blood.

M'gann covered her mouth and tears streamed from her eyes, Artemis Held her head, unable to comprehend. Wally and Kaldur Seemed scared to get near him and I was just as dumbstruck.

Being the leader he was, Aqualad snapped out of it and took charge. "Wally! Call the league and explain the situation. I need the rest of you to help me stop the blood flow so he doesn't bleed out." Wally then ran to the side and tried to call the justice league and I removed my shirt to use as a rag to put pressure on the wound. Artemis tended to the deep cuts on his arm with M'gann and Aqualad used a piece of cloth from his tunic to fashion a makeshift head brace. I continued to put pressure on the wound in his abdomen, but the blood just wouldn't stop.

That's when Artemis gasped. "guys look,.." Robin began to cough as a thin stream of blood leaked from the corner of his mouth.

He was bleeding internally.

"no" someone whispered, but no one acknowledged who.

Me and M'gann sat down opposite of Artemis and Wally. We all looked up at each other in silence when M'gann spoke up.

"Conner...your crying" I reached up and felt my cheek, and was startled to find it was wet.

I guess she was right

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{Aqualad POV}

My fault. All...my fault. As much as they would tell me it wasnt, I would never believe them, I couldn't. I was the leader, therefor it was my job to keep everyone safe, no matter the cost.

But I failed. I should not have allowed... Allowed robin to be... Ya know.

Now I stood before him. He was unconscious in his bed and I listened to the beeping of the heart monitor, fearing that each slowing beep would be the last. I put my hands over my eyes and felt the tears come forth. We had been informed rather quickly that robin was most likley not going to make it. The bullet ruptured his stomach, and his liver...

We rode in M'ganns bio ship in silence. The flash and wonder woman rode with us as they continued to tend to him. All we could do was watch. Watch, and wait. We all wanted so badly to help, but we were all just so shaken up. I was trying so hard not to cry. I didn't want to cry.

Crying meant this was all real.

When we arrived at the cave, Batman was waiting for us. The doors opened and as soon as he saw us he stared at us with his infamous bat glare. That was until he caught a glimpse of Robin being carried out by Wonder woman.

That's when his face just went... Soft

You can't say that about THE batman all to often. He scurried over and took Robin in his arms, cradling him like he was his son. Was... He, his son? I had never thought about it before, due mainly to the fact that he didn't know either of their ID's, but it was fairly possible. Oh god, if they were father and son... Then batman may loose his... No. He couldn't die.

Batman took robin to the med bay, leaving the rest of them to their thoughts. Wonder woman looked up at them with a solemn expression.

"I'm so sorry guys..." she muttered

"No! No! It's a lie! He has to be ok! Please!" Wally cried out and his uncle hugged him to calm him down.

"we just need to hope for the best kiddo" he said it to Wally, But he directed it to all of us.

57 stitches, a major concussion, 2 broken legs and a ruptured stomach and liver. It's a miracle he even made it out of the building. I know I promised I wouldn't cry, it was a promise I secretly knew I was going to break. As the tears flowed from my eyes, I whispered a quiet "I'm sorry, Robin" out loud.

"it's not your fault, please don't blame yourself." robin startled me and I looked up. The boys voice was so faint I thought I was imagining the words. His eyes were a faded blue.

The first time that i saw his eyes, and the lights were about to go out.

"But I'm your leader, I shoul..."

"you can keep saying it was your fault, b-but it won't change , do it for me... I forgive you" Even in his last moments, he was a saint. Why, why Robin, why not me.

"thank you, Robin" I said almost invisibly

"please, please just call me Dick"

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{Batman POV}

I can't

I can't do it

I can't do it because in my head, I knew a day like this would come.

Then why didn't I stop myself? Why didn't I make him quite crime fighting the moment the thought crossed my mind?

Because I knew he -needed- this. This was his lifeline. But for the first time, I realized something. He was mine.

I walked into the large white room of the med bay only to find my little Robin talking with Aqualad. I placed a hand on Kaldur's shoulder and gave him the look, and he read it instantly. He nodded and headed out of the room, placing a hand on robin as he did so, then closing the door behind him.

I then walked up to him and sat on the foot of the bed. I slowly pried tight mask off my face. Right now, I wanted to talk to Dick Grayson,... As Bruce Wayne.

"I'm sorry I let this happen Dick" I announced, but he couldn't answer. He only looked at me with pleading eyes. I accepted this silent gesture and laid down next to me. He used all the strength in his body to throw his hand over me on sort of an awkward half-hug. He whispered into my ear ever so silently,

"I'm s-scared... Dad" my heart dropped, literally dropped. I put my hand over him this time

"don't be scared, just, just stay whelmed" I felt guilty using such a light word for such a grave topic, but I didn't know what else to say.

We laid there for almost an hour, not saying a single word.

Bruce heard Dicks breathing fade, to simply exasperated pants

He felt his skin get cold and pale

He saw his eyes slowly shut, and the color disperse

And all along listening to the beeping of the heart monitor sitting beside them.

Listening to it beep...

Beep...

Beep...

And finally...

...stop...


End file.
